How did you get into metalsmithing? I had an uncle who made a living as a watchmaker. He also had an interest in stones and made some jewelry. When I was in elementary school he would take me along to hunt for rubies, and on one occasion he bought me a handcrafted Sterling dogwood flower ring. I thought this was so amazing! Later on I became aware of art shows, and grasped the fact that I could actually make a living designing and making jewelry. What inspires you? I would have to say beauty. I relate to the fluid nature of metal, and am totally in love with the drama of fire. I find clarity in looking for design, and it is usually a subtle, very unplanned idea that starts my process. c What is your design process? Very simply, I make it up as I go along! What is your favorite tool? I like working with my foredom ..... the finishing process I find rewarding as the piece is becoming a whole. What is on your bench right now? ......

You’re feeling pretty awesome lately. An art-based event company approached you about exhibiting and selling your jewelry to a large audience. It’s different from your local farmers market and sounds more sophisticated than your opportunity to sell at a local school fair. However, don’t get distracted by sleek, marketing tactics – the chic website and venue location. Here’s some tip-offs that an event may not be worth your time: The event organizers don’t ask to see images of your work. A legitimate art /artisan-focused event company would have a juried selection process from which to decide which artists participate in a given event.  They require you to sell tickets to the event. This in turn, takes time away from you that you could be applying to your craft, or making new pieces. Not to mention, it can cause friends/family to feel awkward or obliged to support you vs. you simply inviting them to the event – no strings attached.   T......

How did you get into metalsmithing? I have always enjoyed learning and doing anything art and crafts related. I also admired all the pretty silver and turquoise jewelry out there, but had a hard time finding rings or cuffs that fit. I remember thinking maybe someday it would be cool to be able to make it myself. Two years ago, I was looking for a creative outlet to balance out my life and randomly searched the internets for a local metal-smithing class. I found Harold Studio, took the awesome Jewelry 1 class, and have been hooked ever since.   What inspires you? Lots of things - a lot of the times just looking at the stone itself sparks some idea for what it could become or what style would fit it best. I had lots of fun looking to nature and the National Parks for inspiration for several pieces. Sometimes running low on supplies (rarely happens right...) generates ideas. It ends up being a semi-fun challenge to see what I can try to create using what I hav......